By CHARITY MOONGA in London, United Kingdom –
WORLD Trade Organisation spokesperson Keith Rockwell has commended African governments for coming up with a Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) saying it will go a long way in boosting trade.
Mr Rockwell said within and among African countries had remained at 12 per cent hence regional groupings like the TFTA will assist boost trade.
Mr Rockwell was speaking to Journalists from 11 countries from all over the world who attended a one week Thomson Reuters Foundation Advanced Business Reporting training in London.
Journalists who attended the course where from South Africa, Armania, Napal, Brazil, El Salvador, Nigeria, Zambia, Thailand, Indonesia, among others. Mr Rockwell said Regional trade agreements were important as they moved trade forward.
Regional trade will be specifically important for Africa as only about 12 per cent trade winds up in other African countries. He said the TFTA will help develop global value chains that will take Africa forward in trade.
On trade deficits affecting countries like Zambia, Mr Rockwell said, although not all trade deficits are bad, countries negatively affected by trade deficits would do well to promote better access to markets.
